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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: racket · tube · bear · prune · key · patient · lash · charge

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. tube — the underground
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. prune — to trim
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. key — the most important part
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. tube — a container
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. charge — electricity
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. charge — a price
  20. prune — to trim
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. key — for a lock
  23. bear — the animal
  24. charge — in control

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com